The finicky autumn/early winter weather isn't just tough on Alaskans. It's hard on our bees too.
Dee Barker of Earthworks Farm in the Valley overwinters nine hives of bees. And it's time for them to go into hibernation. Sort of.
"Everybody is talking about the winter setting in and yet we have a warm spell and the bees are feeling the warmth and remain active," Barker said. "It's kind of tricky to choose the right time to insulate them. It is better to give them the extra warmth when the outside temperatures go below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. But the last couple of winters we have had warm spells after we insulate, which increases the inside temperature of the hive, encourages them to break out of their winter hibernation mode.
"This will be our sixth year to overwinter our bees. The best overwintered beehive survival rate we have achieved was 80 to 90 percent. Hopefully we will match that this winter. As long as the bees have food they can keep going. But if there is a sudden drop in temperature and if they are not in their protective cluster around their queen, she might die, and if she dies, the whole hive dies with her."
Hive insulation includes hay packed in tight around the bee boxes and kept in place with chicken wire.
Barker said overwintering the bees helps them be productive as soon as spring arrives. Imported bees from the Lower 48 have a little adjustment period after arriving, she said.
And happy bees, of course, produce honey and wax. And those are the basis of Earthworks' offerings at farmers markets and holiday bazaars in the next few weeks.
Barker said her Abeille Alaska body care lineup includes honey and beeswax in its many products. "Not surprisingly, our moisturizing cream sales are going up for the winter season," she says. "Our cream is made with our honey and beeswax as well as coconut oil and almond oil. This rich cream is wonderful on chapped hands and cracked feet, and it protects face skin against winter windburn."
And grab some honey too. Earthworks Farm will be at the Center Market on Wednesday. They also will be at Saturday's Rabbit Creek Christmas Towne Bazaar at South Anchorage High School. The bazaar is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Center Market
Joining Earthworks Farm at the Center Market are a variety of vendors selling produce, sweets, meats and pasta.
La Grassa will have variety of pasta options on both Wednesday and Saturday. Varieties include Alaska golden beet, goat cheese and almond ravioli; vegan basil strozzapreti; mushroom and ricotta ravioli; and other options.
Alex Davis and A.D. Farm will have cuts of goat and pig at the market, along with raspberry and blueberry jams, eggs, autumn vegetables, Alaska Flour Co. barley products and sprouts, and other items from Alaska Sprouts.
On Wednesday only, look for Monica Droz with a wide selection of sweet treats, including brittles, caramels and peppermint marshmallows. Also on Wednesday, Duane Clark will have produce, grass-fed beef and yak meat, jalapeno and habanero jelly and zucchini relish.
Thankful Thursdays
The Thankful Thursdays market is back for its second week inside the Mall at Sears.
The Spice & Tea Exchange will have an assortment of loose leaf teas, custom blended fall spices, smoked salts and recipe bundles with attached ingredients. "We'll be bringing Thanksgiving ingredients," owner Liz Eldridge said.
Farm 779 will unveil some autumn baked goods including almond chocolate chip cookie drops, cacao quinoa vegan tea cakes, matcha tea and pumpkin spice sugar cookies. Farm 779 also will have their regular probiotic friendly coconut kefirs, hot kimchi, kraut and vegetable blends, kvass, kombucha and crunchy snacks, along with body products.
Drool Central will have treats and meals for dogs. Daisy Nicolas also will be at Saturday's Rabbit Creek Christmas Towne Bazaar at South Anchorage High School.
Other vendors include: Non Essentials with eggs, baked goods and birch syrup products; Three Bears Farm with jams, jellies, winter squash and Brussels sprouts; and Duane's Top Shelf Artisan market with veggies, beef and yak meat, salsa, zucchini relish, hot pickled peas and golden beets, and locally made jams.
Rise & Shine is back to baking
After a few weeks off, the bakers at Rise & Shine Bakery are back on their winter bread-baking schedule. In the winter, bread must be pre-ordered and picked up at one of two in-Anchorage locations.
Orders can be submitted starting Thursday for bread pickup Nov. 9. Visit riseandshinebread.com for more information and to sign up for reminder emails.
For Nov. 9, Rise & Shine is baking levain, spent grain, Kalamata olive, toasted walnut and fruited almond loaves.
"We will bake twice in November and December to accommodate the holidays, and to make sure you'll have plenty of opportunities to order bread for gifts, if you'd like," owner Alison Arians said. "After the holidays, we will be baking once a month. Because of the three-day fermentation of the sourdough, the bread is a great keeper. It freezes and thaws beautifully, and stays fresh on your counter for at least a week."
Steve Edwards lives and writes in Anchorage. Contact him at akmarketfresh@gmail.com.
Local farmers markets
Monday in the Valley: Colony Farmers Market, noon-6 p.m., 610 S. Valley Way, Palmer
Wednesday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street
Thursday in Anchorage: Thankful Thursdays market, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street
Saturday in Anchorage: Center Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., The Mall at Sears, Benson Boulevard and Denali Street